SUNSET: 
Meet Dubhe, Giant of the Big Dipper
Of the seven stars in the Big Dipper, Dubhe is an outlier. Its color, speed across the sky, and evolutionary age set it apart from its comrades.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 17 – 25
Venus continues to blaze in the west during and after twilight. This evening it's passing north (upper right) of Aldebaran.
New Comet Alert! Quartet of Comets Grace Our Skies
There's a lot happening in the northern sky these days, namely lots of comets! Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) is still worth watching, but look for the new Comet SWAN (C/2020 F8) and Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y1). And you can still catch a glimpse of our old friend, Comet PanSTARRS (C/2017 T2).
Shadow-casting with Venus
Venus has a been powerful presence at dusk for months — bright enough to cast shadows. How would you like to put it to the test? The Moon won't spoil the darkness until at least April 24th — April 25th if you wait till after moonset — making it the perfect time to see your own shadow by the light of another celestial body.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 10 – 18
Right after dark, look southwest and find Procyon high above brilliant Sirius. Look upper left of Procyon by 15° for the dim head of Hydra.
Oh No! Comet ATLAS Is Fragmenting
Find out when and where to see Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) — and stay tuned to see how bright (or not) this comet gets.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 3 – 11
Venus shines in the edge of the Pleiades, as shown above. How soon before the end of twilight can you first begin to see the little cluster?
April 2020: Planets Aplenty
This month's Sky Tour astronomy podcast highlights how Venus flirts with the Pleiades star cluster after sunset, then leads you to views of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars together in the predawn sky.
The Pleiades Welcome Venus
You can renew your own cosmic connection on Friday night, April 3rd. That's when the planet Venus will skirt the Pleiades star cluster in a spectacular dusk conjunction visible across much of the planet.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 27 – April 4
Venus and the waxing crescent Moon shine in the west during and after twilight. As night deepens, you'll find the Pleiades a little above Venus.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 20 – 28
Venus is the big, bright "Evening Star" high in the west at dusk. Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are low in the southeast in early dawn.
A Bino Tour of the Big Dog
For observers looking for a quick outing with binoculars, Canis Major offers a set of lovely attractions that includes a trio of open clusters.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 13 – 21
Venus continues to shine high in the west at nightfall for many weeks on end. But as the season advances, its starry background slides toward the lower right behind it. For instance not long ago the Pleiades were very high above it, but as of this evening they're 20° apart.
Easy-to-find Deep-sky Objects for Cold Nights
Cold weather keeping you inside at night? Limit your time outdoors and make the most of your telescope time with these easy-to-find deep-sky gems.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 6 – 14
This week, see Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn lined up diagonally low in the southeast as dawn begins.
Winter Stargazing in the Florida Keys
Every February, amateur astronomers flock to the Florida Keys to a dark-sky site for a week of stargazing at the Winter Star Party.
Diving Into the Moon's Bay of Rainbows
This curious lunar feature — visible the nights of March 4th and April 2nd — is a delight in small scopes or even binoculars.
Earth Has A Mini-Moon — But Not for Long!
Two astronomers discovered a temporary mini-moon captured by Earth — but it's about to win its freedom.
March 2020: A Planet Trio and More!
During March, the cosmos offers a lot to see both before sunrise and after sunset. To get a guided tour of the month's highlights, play or download this month's Sky Tour episode.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, February 28 – March 7
Venus shines near the Moon and Betelgeuse is brightening again — find other night sky sights in this week's roundup.
